Roxanne Koscielny kisses her daughter Aiyana Bullock on the cheek after receiving a new car for Valentine’s Day at Paragon Motors as part of a Mamas for Mamas project. - Credit: Carli Berry/Capital News

Mama gets new set of wheels in Kelowna

Roxanne Koscielny was given a new car as part of a Mamas for Mamas project

Roxanne Koscielny said she couldn’t cry because her makeup wasn’t waterproof.

The local mama, who lives outside of Vernon, received a special gift for Valentine’s Day in Kelowna.

Koscielny was given a revamped 2002 Saturn SL2 as part of a Mamas for Mamas project. The car was given away Wednesday morning at Paragon Motors, who donated $2,400 worth of labour and provided new tires for the car.

“It just gives me that little extra to be able to drive my kids around and take them places and my daughter wants to go to work so I can drive her to work… it just helps with day to day life,” said the mother of three.

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Koscielny was nominated for the car from her childhood friend, Heidi Dilello, who has been Koscielny’s best friend since Grade 8.

Koscielny and her daughter Aiyana Bullock released balloons into the sky after getting the keys to the car, saying it was in memory of her son, who died in November.

“It was really special to me because, my son passing away, we released balloons for his service so that meant a lot to be able to do that again today. I feel like he’s watching over and that he’s here right now,” said Koscielny.

Candace Chisholm, chief community officer for Mamas for Mamas, said this is the first time the organization has given away a car in collaboration with other community partners, but she expects it will continue.

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“She’s a very deserving mom, she’s trying her best and she just had no vehicle and it was an obvious choice for us. It was so beautiful to see that (she’s) able to move forward from some of the things she had encountered this past year,” she said. “She’s expressed a couple times how this is going to change her life for the good.”

Drew Henderson, one of the owners of Paragon Motors, wanted to donate the car to someone outside of the mechanic shop’s immediate clients.

“It’s been a long process but it’s been worth it, just to see the look on Rox’s face,” he said.

Work will begin on the Jubilee Heights subdivision on Monday creating Campbell River's latest neighbourhood development that will open both residential and village/commercial opportunities in the region.